-mail treating machine



June 5, 1945. c. D. RYAN ETAL MAIL TREATING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 29, 1940 INVENTORS k Commodore D. Ryan Frank E Sage] @412 MMQ ATTORN+EY1 June 5,1945. c. D. RYAN EIAL I MAIL TREATING MACHINE 1e Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 29, 1940 ll lllilvlr I I ll June 5, 1945.

C. D. RYAN EIAL MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 V INVENTQRS Commodoreyfl Ryan.

flan/v P. 512701- ATTORNE s June 5, 1945. D! RYAN ETAL 2,377,523-

MAIL TREATING MACHINE Origihal Filed April 29, 1940 '16 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ommodore Zlfiymz B- Fran/EBSaym' I V ATTORNEYS June 5, 1945. c. D. RYAN ETAL 2,377,523

MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORN EYS June 5; 1945. c. 0. RYAN EI'AL 2,377,523

MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-$heet 6 M L- K, 838 5 694 692 9 697 i 61, o o u H T lg-o I 6n 1 I JUL L l I 655\ T e I. g 1P0:

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17-60212 1? 5 4 1 40 boo (:2, u fis fiz p ATTORNEYS I June 5, 1945. c. D. RYAN ET' AL MAIL TREATING MACHINE l6 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTORS Commodore Dlfiyarz BY E'an/T? I" mis Original Filed April 29, 1940 June 5, 1945.

C. D. RYAN ET AL MAIL TREATING MAC HINE Original Filed April "29,1940 l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS Commodore D. Ryan Funk 1? flayer ATTORNEYS June 5, 1945. c. D. RYAN E1- AL 2,377,523

I .MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 68/ Q 842 g Q 669 SPOST 5 3 AGE 2 03 E 3 AHOUNTPAID Mum 60:49 a I! mvsngToRs K g th/rzmoa'ore j). {fl an 17-01221? Sager ATTORNEYS June 5, 1945. c. D. RYAN ETAL' 2,377,523

MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 1O 7 INVENTORS C0mmodom'D.R; an 842 68/ Y l rarzfl: Sayer ATTORNEYASZQ7 16 Sheets-Sheet ll INVEIVVTORS C. D. RYAN ET AL MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 )flglj June 5, 1945;

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- MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 12',

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C. D. RYAN ETAL MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet l4 m.v,, V.

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MAIL TREATING MACHINE 1e Sheets-Shegt 15' INVENTORS Commodore D.

/ TTORNEYS Frank P S 33% June 5, 1945.

Original Filed April 29, 1940 June 5, 1945. c. D. RYAN ET AL 1 2,377,523

MAIL TREATING MACHINE Original Filed April 29, 1940 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 ATTORNEYS Patented June 5, 1945 MAIL 'rR-EA'rrNo MACHINE Commodore D. Ryan, Los Angeles, and Frank P. Sager, Alhambra, Calif., assignors to Commercial Controls Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application April 29, 1940, Serial No. 332.305. Divided and this application July 29, i943, Serial No. 496,558 r as Claims. (o1. 101-235) This invention relates to a mail treating machine and more particularly to a device for feed inggummed tape or the like into a position for printing postage thereon or for being otherwise treated.

Many types of mailing matter which require postage are of such a nature that they cannot bepassed through a mail treating machine in the manner of an envelope or cannot be printed on by the postage printing mechanism of the machine. Such articles must, accordingly, be stamped individually with a stamp or stamps of proper denomination. It is accordingly desirable thata mail treating machine be able to print on gumnied tape or the like postage of the desired amount, so thatthe printed tape can thereafter be afiixed to the mailing matter. In order for the mail treating machine to be useful for printing postage for all sorts of mailing matter, the tape feeding device should be of such a nature as to permit its being shifted at will from a non-printing position toa printing position, and from a printing position to non-printing position. Furthermore, the tape feeding mecha nism should also be able to. cooperate with a moistening device so that if postage is printed on strip tape, the tape may be out ofi at the end of each operating cycle and moistened as desired. It is accordingly one of the objects of. this invention to provide a retractable tape feeding mechanism for a mailing machine capable of eificiently fulfilling the several functions noted above, in addition to others.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described andthe scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. This application is a division oftthe application of Frank P. Sager et al., Serial No. 332,305, filed April 29, 1940.

In the drawings, l A Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation showing a portion of the right-hand end of the machine from which the end cover plate has been removed;

Figure 3-is a fragmental sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-45 of Figure 2 to show the driving mechanism for the tape feeding device'and also thedriving mechanism for actuating the tape cutter; i Figure 4 is a, fragmental sectional view showing printing position and showing the means for maintaining the conveyor mechanism clutch in its inoperative position; v t

Figure 5 is an enlarged f ragmental sectional view taken substantially along the line 5- 5 01 Figure 2 to show in detail the tape feeding device in its rest position; t

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 2 to showthe tape feeding device in its retracted inoperative position; V

Figure-6A illustrates a developed diagrammatic view of the automatic and manual clutch tripping mechanism and its relation to a portion of the tape feeding device;

Figure 7 is atview similar to Figure 6,but' showtown circle, date, and advertising slogan printed upon a section of gummed tape;

Figure 10 corresponds generally to Figure .7,

but in addition shows the platen roller swing frame to illustrate the manner in which the platen roller is displaced to show the tape feeding device in resting position;

Figure 11 is similar to Figure 10, and shows the manner in which the platen roller is lowered just prior to the tape feeding device in its retracted inoperative position; v

Figure 12 is a fragmental sectional view taken substantially along the line [2-42 of Figure 4;

Figure 13is an enlarged fragmental sectional view illustrating the envelope feed conveyer driving clutch in engaged position;

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 but showing the envelope conveyor driving clutch disengaged; H

Figure 15 is a view similar-to Figure .8 but showing the shuttle returned to normal position during the printing operation and further showing the setting of the device to guide the printing tape clear of the moistening brush;

Figure 16 is a fragmental sectional ,view taken substantiallyalong the line Iii-I6 ofFigure 15 to illustrate in detail the tape fcu tting rnechain enlarged detail the tape feeding device in nism;

shows the parts as they would appear at the com- Figure 17 is a viewtsimilar to Figurel5 but pletion of the printing operation, but showing the printing stamp crossing the moistening brush;

Figure '18 is a composite view of the upper portlon of the tape feeding mechanism, the tape compartment door, and the interlocking mechanism thereof;

Figure 1a is aviewsimilar to l ligureilawithtliei exception that the tape compartment door is shown open, in which position the interlocking, mechanism will operate to retract the tape safety 1 fingers to facilitate threading of tapei'eintocathe-i device;

Figure illustrates theupper:"portioniofrthei' tape feeding device and shows;=.the:manner in.

which the interlocking mechanism will operate to lock the mechanism against operation when the cut end of the tape is out of position? Figure 21 is a fragmentahsectional-view'taken along the line 2l--2I as viewed in Figure 20;

Figure 22 is a view similar to Figure 20 with the exception that it shows the operation of the interlocking'm'echanism" to"lo'ck the machine against operation when thereis'an insuffiiaient amount of tape to complete the printing-when a' full stamp The preferred embo'dimentofthetmaii' treatingi m'achinezillustrated in: the drawings is'aniallpurpose machine; i; e'., a machine capableof ready adjustment. for handling; and 'treating;;a11i types and; classes of mailing matter; This machine is capable of treating such m'ail 'm'atteri'at' high speed and under full control 'and with protection against-waste of -postage or unauthorized -use,. ari dI-in additiontoits ability to treat and stamp envelopes of 5 various lengths, widths and thick-- n'es'ses,-the machineis capable-ofselectively printing postage as desired'onstr iptape and delivering the-printed tape 'in severed*leng-ths; moistened-- or unmoistened; as desiredi This machine accordingly incorporates a tape feeding device whichiisselectively operable int'o' and out ofoperative position, and which characterizedby various advantageous features whi'ch will be' dealt with 'ingreater: detail hereinbelow;

AsshowninFigure' l; the mail treating machine includes generallythe following majn'n elementsand mechanisms whichzfor convenience are; identified:by=the 'general; reference: numb ers'pre ceding; each:

I Ell -Frame structure l5 l -Fed hopperf i l 53'"'Conveying;andfeeding system for. the mail.

matter I lit-Envelope; fiapzmoisteningdevice l55 -.-'-Powerzplant andd'riving mechanism .a l SG' -Tape'feeding' device' ISL-Postage meter I'58'-Inkife'eding mechanismfidrth'emeter matter and tape.

All of these elements, in additionto others, are I described in detail in the above-noted Sager et a1. application. The description herein is directed primarily to the tape treating mechanism,

The mechanism by means of which the tape feedingdevice IE6. is moved fromits non-sprinting to'itsa; printing; positiom alsooperates means for rendering the envelope conveyer system I53 inoperative, to prevent simultaneous feeding of mail This mechanism also renders the; manualitrip device operative so that upon each successive manipulation of said trip the clutch controlfme'chanism. will b actuated to engage the:meter-.drivingeclutch for a cycle of operation to print a stampof selected value upon a strip of gummed tape as shown in Figure 9.

The'positibningmechanism for the tape feeding device while operating to return said device from itsprinting to' its non-printing position will operate:to automatically return the conveyor system to its operative condition and to render the man-' ualfclutchtrip deviceinoperative.

The tapefee'ding device is'providediiwith' safety, control'r means to" prevent operation; of" thexxma-r chine unless" it" is-in condition to' print'; a perfect: stamp.

The tape feeding'device I56" (FigureS) maypbe generallwdivided into three difierent"..portions;'

namely'the tape feed portion 6 5'3; tape cuttingand? moistening portion 654andLthe positioning portitan-655'.

The: tape feedingj'portion' and" the .tapeecutting and moistening portion, ofthe' device are separable; to enable these: to be brought up over: the platen? roller from eachsidef so asxto: straddle the roller whenttmoveol' up into' printingip'osition and to mountedat their lower ends-upon positioning divide and retractin the reverse'orderwhemth'ese' two portions are positions.

The positioningrportion;655 of tee devicetmayi include a positioninghandle. 656 fastened to the:

forward endrof stub shaft SETjournal-d inbear; ingJbossSEfl (Figure 2); formed on front plate" I 60-1 A segmental-pinion 655i: (Figures2and4i is *se=-' curelyfastened'upon the inner end of:stub' snare 65",and. meshes witna gear segment 660, securely fastened up'oni-the' positioningshaft 66F; Assh'own'inFigure 2, the positioning shaft is jour naled in the-"front frame plat I611 as at 682 and i'n'the meter supporting bracket l 6Zas at 663 and extends rearwardiy 'of'this bracket uponwhich ex; tensiona retaining collar fiE4 issecurely-fastened as by a suitably headed set' screw 665 "(.l igures -ii and 24) A positioning and latching-' lever i566" generally H -shape in'form incl'udes a pair of-spa'ced apart upwardly extending arms sfil and 668 'pivotally and provided at their upper ends with off set lu'gs 6.1! and 6i2"which lugs extend in: planes per-' 68! is journaled in bearing 683 {Figure 5) on the meter supporting bracket I 52.

moved" "to their: noneprinting' in propelling the tape through the chute.

W3 provided at its lower portion with an inner bearing 104 and a spaced outer bearing Hi5 slidably mounted upon the positioning structure connecting rod 614.

To maintain frame 183 in proper position during all of its movements the upper end thereof is provided with a transverse pivot pin m6 upon the outboard end of which is fastened a collar Til! having an annular groove 758 which groove receives the guide surface Hi9 ofguide plate Mil. The guide plate is mounted'upon the front face of meter bracket M52 as by means of suitable screws H l.

V The guide plate H is shaped as'shown most clearly in Figure 6. The guide surface H19 thereof is curved to substantially coincide with the path of travel of the grooved collar it! during the raising or lowering movement of the tape feeding device to or from its printing position. The guide plate Hills provided with a horizontally extending guiding surface H2 overhanging in spaced relation the guide surface Hi9 for guiding the grooved collar when the tape feed portion 653 of the device is shuttled during a tape printing cycle of operation.

A tape guide chute H3 is mounted upon frame member 163 and includes an entrance portion 7M flared as at H (Figures 5, 8 and 19) to facilitate entrance of tape therein.

The guide chute above its entrance end is 'provided with reverse curve portion i it having suitable openings for a manual feed roller mechanism H1 which mechanism is employed when threading tape into the chute.

From the reverse curve portion 'Hii the chute extends upwardly and is provided with a horizontal portion H8 at which portion the. chute is open at its top and bottom to straddle the platen roller 32'! and the printing plates carried by the printing drum.

The manual feed roller mechanism i ll may include a feed roller H9 journaled upon frame member 103 by bearing pin 126. The feed roller "H9 is preferably provided with ratchet like teeth l2l against which one end of a leaf spring 122 acts to prevent reverse rotation of said roller. The opposite end of leaf spring 122 is fastened to the underside of the tape chute in any suitable manner. The ratchet like teeth it! also act against the gummed surface of the tape to assist A pressure roller 123 is journaled upon the free end of lever I24 by bearing pin 125 while lever 124 is pivotally attached to frame member Ill-3 by pivot pin F26. A tension spring 72? acting between lever 124 and spring pin I28 carried by the frame member H13 acts to yieldingly press the tape against the teeth of feed roller H9.

The feed roller H 9 is provided with a forwardly extending knurled sleeve portion 129 for manually turning the feed roller when threading tape into the chute.

A tape roll magazine 13b may include a housing "F3! fastened to the intermediate portion of shaft 132. One end of said shaft is securely mounted in the meter bracket I62 in any suitable manner not shown. The forward end of shaft Z32 is provided with an extension 133 pivoted to said shaft by hinge pin 134. a

To mount a roll of gummed tape "F35 in the magazine, the shaft extension 733 should be moved into axial alignment with the shaft and thereafter the roll of tape may be slid onto the shaft and into the housing. After the roll of tape has been mounted within the housing, a

operation unreliable.

retaining plate 136 may be positioned on the" shaft and the shaft extension133 swung downwardly into slot 131 formed in the hub portion 1380f saidplate in the manner shown in Fig. 4. The housing 13l is cut away to permit the tape to feed therefrom and a roller 139 is journaled in brackets Mil carried by the housing to guide the tape as it feeds down underthe loop forming roller MI. The tape 135 loops around roller MI and extends up into and through the tape chute H3.

The loop forming roller MI is journaled upon the forward end of swing arm I42 which arm at its oppositeend is pivotally mounted upon the positioning shaft 66! (Fig. 5).

The loop forming device pulls from the roll a sufiicient amount of tape to provide for the printing of a stamp and maintains this loop under proper tension to insure a uniform resistance. during the printing of the stamp independent of the amount of tape remaining on the roll.

During the printing of a stamp the tape is rapidly pulled through the tape chute H3 and if the tape was passed directly from the roll to and through the chute it would tend to rupture in its attempt to overcome the inertia of a full heavy roll or if said tape did not rupture, it would tend to spin the roll unwinding more tape than necessary and as a result the tape would pileup and foul in the magazine or between the magazine and'entrance to the chute, thus rendering the When a roll of tape becomes used up, a new roll may be easily and quickly mounted in the magazine in the manner previously described and likewise easily and quickly threaded into proper printing position in the tape chute by pulling out from the new roll a sufficient length of tape to place it over roller 139, under the looping roller MI and into the entrance portion of the chute unit the end of the tape engages the manual feed roller mechanism 1|! whereupon the V operator may easily feed the tape through the remaining portion of the chute by turning the knurled sleeve 129 of said feed mechanism.

If an excessive length of tape has been unwound from the roll for the purpose of threading the tape into the chute, this excessive tape may be rewound up the roll.

Referring to Fig. 4, it may be observed that the retaining plate 136 is made of suificient length to provide a guide for maintaining the tape upon rollers 139 and MI.

The tape cutting and moistening portion 654 of the tape feeding device 156 The tape cutting and moistening portion 654 (Fig. 8) of the tape feeding device I56 may include a frame member I43 having two spaced legs 144 and pivotally connected to the positioning lever lugs 61! and 672 by means of axially aligned pivot pins M6.

A rock shaft 141 is journaled in the upper portion of frame member 143 and at its inner end this portion of the device into proper register with the tape feeding portion 653 when moved into printing position.

When the tape feeding device I56 is in printing 

